


Triple Threat

by Sapphire_Princess



Series: Three on a Yacht Verse [3]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: 00Qsper, F/M, M/M, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:28:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25511356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphire_Princess/pseuds/Sapphire_Princess
Summary: As secure and confident in their relationship as Q is, some members of his family still have reservations,
Relationships: James Bond/Q, James Bond/Vesper Lynd, James Bond/Vesper Lynd/Q, Vesper Lynd/Q
Series: Three on a Yacht Verse [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/503989
Comments: 1
Kudos: 25
Collections: 007 Fest Fancreations





	Triple Threat

James heads to Q Branch to check on R. She’s had the last day and a half off and didn’t need to be in today but had volunteered, knowing how much Q had overworked himself. She’s happy to see James, makes him some tea and lets him grumble about his up and coming meeting. She hands him an earpiece when he leaves.

“Thank you,” he tells her, understanding.

“My brother wouldn’t let me hear the end of it if I didn’t,” she says with a smile. She and Q are not related by biology or childhood adoption. She legally became his sister a few years ago and lives with his grandparents. “Usual voice command from you - or any of the warning signs - will activate it. Return it before you leave today, okay?”

He chuckles. “Q won’t let me hear the end of it if _I_ don’t. Thank you, R.”

She smiles. “You’re welcome, give Q and Vesper my love.”

James agrees, smiles, and heads out. 

***

“I am sorry that you’re being dragged into this, Bond. But they seem to be under the impression that we don’t know what we’re doing.”

“Politicians never do, anyone with any sense gives up before they even reach London. How’s security?” He isn’t sure if M knows R’s providing back up - just in case - but Mallory usually has some kind of plan in place.

“It would appear to be standard, a bit much for this kind of meeting.”

James gives his most bland and unaffected smile. “If it makes them feel more secure, who are we to change it?”

“Indeed,” Mallory says and opens the door for him. He’s armed, James notices - so’s he. There is no reason to think there will be a problem but they’ve been extremely careful since Silva’s attacks and take no chances. This was how they averted the current crisis and how they will continue to do so.

***

“Nothing to write home about?” R asks as he strides into Q Branch just after lunch.

“No. Absolutely boring and pointless, as expected.” He puts the earbud back in the carry box she has for it. “It’s all been dealt with, for now.”

She smiles. “Same as always, then.”

“Something like that,” James mutters, attention elsewhere.

“M has said I should take tomorrow off…,” R says and she looks both worried and guilty.

“You should.” She looks to the side - in the way that means she wants to but doesn’t think she should. “You’ll have your laptop, you’ll be fine.” 

She studies him for a long moment and then nods. “That is true and my grandparents want to spend the day with me… I really haven’t seen much of home in weeks.”

James nods, R spent three nights in their spare room - the one they leave exclusively for guests - because she was too tired to go home and wanted to be closer to MI6. Mallory had officially signed off on it because it was either that or let her sleep in the bunkbeds Q pretends he hadn't installed in his new Q Branch.

“You should. Good for the soul.”

She smiles and James chuckles fondly, shaking his head. For all he knows R only became Q’s sister a few years ago, they are similar in ways family members who live in close quarters are. He also understands a little of R’s past and it would seem Q has a habit of helping people he admires and is fond of.

“Are you ever going to come round for dinner?” she asks.

“I’m not sure,” he tells her honestly. “I think that’s up to Q.”

“Hm, I can understand. When we were at your house it was different, I suppose.”

“Yes, though I think having M there as well really helped.” 

R smiles, knowing he’s referring to Olivia Mansfield. “Yes, I wasn’t expecting her.”

“When she found out it was a family dinner, she insisted. I’m afraid she seems to have adopted me somewhere along the way without my consent.”

“Q told me she insists on fortnightly dinners with the three of you at her house and tea with Vesper every other Thursday.”

James smiles, fondly recalling the last few such dinners and Vesper’s confusion but unmistakeable happiness at being treated like a much-loved daughter in law.

“It’s a strange but mutually beneficial arrangement and Q is definitely more comfortable. I, on the other hand, had to face questions from both sides.”

“They care, they do and they’re certainly open minded enough to accept the three of you for who and what you are.”

“But?”

“But they are rather old fashioned, I suspect they’ll be more comfortable when you’re all married.”

“No longer living in sin?” James raises his eyebrows in amusement. “Whenever he’s ready,” he says kindly.

“He just needs some time. He gets easily overwhelmed, you know?” R is regarding him carefully.

James understands so he nods. “He likes to spread out the good things, too many of them at once tend to worry him. Which makes sense given our job… but you’re both the best thing to happen to him. Give him time, he’ll probably ask you.”

He nods but doesn’t stand. “Would you like a lift home, R.”

“Now?” she asks, looking faintly horrified.

“Do you have anything else pressing to do today?” he asks.

“No, not at all…. you can take me home… it’s just…. this is embarrassing.”

“Would you prefer I drop you off around the corner? I was driven in this morning, so technically I won’t be driving but they can drop me off on the way back.”

She’s nodding and grabbing her things with speedy efficiency before he’s finished speaking and she stands, ready, with her laptop bag over her shoulder and her cardigan buttoned up all ready to go.

***

Vesper walks into the music room with her phone in her hand.

“James says he’s on his way back but he’s dropping R off first, he’ll be back in about an hour,” she tells Q, coming to sit at his side on the piano stool.

“Good. She needs her rest. No doubt my grandparents have passed along another invitation.” He smiles, shakes his head, and runs his fingers over the keys.

“Do you want us to go?”

Q smiles again. He can feel her eyes on him but doesn't lookup. He can talk through the keys of a piano the way he can explore the world through the keyboard on his laptop. It may be a different way around but the outcome is the same. 

He plays with hopeful hesitancy and Vesper nudges his shoulder playfully. 

“I don’t mind, I would feel more comfortable if I knew for certain R would be there, and M would be more than welcome to accompany us if it were up to me. I suspect, however, it will just be us and my grandparents and they can be rather direct.”

“They love you very much.”

“I know, I’ve never doubted it and I know they’re trying to understand but I don’t want to have to defend what we are or put us under a spotlight. I love how we are and I suppose I’m worried they’ll cast judgment unfairly.”

“R seems confident they won’t.”

Q huffs out a laugh. “She’s probably right. I just can’t quite face it yet. We can invite everyone here again instead, if you want to?”

“We could.” Vesper plays a few light notes. “As soon as you’re ready, let us know.”

This time he turns to look at her and kisses her nose. 

“Shall we play?” he asks. Q was delighted when he learnt she could, and - together with James - had ordered a piano immediately. The empty half of their large living room finally had a purpose - a black baby grand piano. Before, he’d been playing whenever he visited his grandparents, having moved in two months before he met them he hadn't yet decided whether or not to bother.

“I’m not sure James needs us to convince him with music to take us to bed,” Vesper tells him. 

He makes a pleased humming sound in response. “He does love to listen to us play, and we’ve had the day to ourselves after all.”

Vesper lifts her foot from the pedal and rubs her toes against his ankle.

Q laughs and rests against her for a moment, playing left-handed as he slides his right arm around her waist and squeezes. He noses her hair and breathes her in.

“To tell you the truth,” Q says. “I’m still very tired. I’d happily consent to being carried to bed to sleep if you both want to enjoy the rest of the evening.”

“I was hoping James can be persuaded to cook for us first then spent the evening curled up together in here. We could carry you to bed afterward and send you off to sleep the way we did that last night on the yacht.” She means the first last night before he brought them home with him.

Q hummed out against her neck and kissed the soft skin there. The memory flashes warm in his mind. They’d brought him to orgasm with tender and slow movements, Vespers kisses in turn with James’ mouth on him.

“I’m not going to say no to that, ever,” he says, nuzzling her neck before moving away and placing both his hands back on the keys. Vesper turns and leans over, kisses him then starts to play. Q follows her lead and lets his mind become absorbed in the sequence of notes and Vespers company.

***

James does cook for them; cottage pie - without onions because Q doesn't like them - and they eat it at the dinner table before retreating to the front room with a large pot of tea and a selection of chocolates and biscuits Q raids from the cupboards. 

He is still tired but it’s not the complete exhaustion of the day before and he thinks that by tomorrow he will have recovered enough to enjoy the rest of their days off.

Vesper is running her fingers through his hair and he hums in gratitude against James' chest where he’s slumped.

The cats are lying at their feet, though Feynman keeps stretching and leaping up to the windowsill then back down again.

“Are you quite comfortable, Q? James asks, amused.

“Hmmm. So comfortable I may even consent to meeting my grandparents for breakfast.”

“Oh?” Vesper asks.

“They text me during dinner, they asked if I’d be willing to bring you both with me. They have promised R will be there and that we can leave whenever we want.”

“Should we invite Olivia?” Vesper is the only one of them happy to use her first name, Q and James both rely on a change of tone to distinguish between their current boss and their former.

“They said we could,” Q says.

James laughs and presses firm kisses into Q’s hair. “What do you want to do, Q?”

“Besides sleep for the next twelve hours?”

“Yes.”

He sighs. “Go to breakfast and see what happens. We may as well get it over with.”

Vesper gets up and grabs her phone from the little table at the end of the sofa.

“I’ve asked Olivia, are you awake enough to respond to your grandparents or should I do it?”

Q glares at her - aware it probably looks more like a pout - and pulls his phone from his pocket, writes a short reply that makes James laugh and pockets it again.

“Done. 8:30 at their house. James can drive.”

Less than a minute later Vesper’s phone chimes to announce that Olivia has accepted their invitation and will meet them there.

“Now that’s all been sorted, bed?” James asks and Q snuggles closer.

“So long as you carry me and I don’t have to do any work, I’m all yours,” he responds.

James’ voice dips very low when he replies. “Are they your only limitations?”

Q groans. “Yes.” Then hesitates.

“We won’t withhold pleasure from you, sweetheart,” Vesper reassures, she’s looking at him intently and reaches out to stroke his face. 

His shoulders relax and James soothes him. “Not unless you ask and you know your safe word just in case.” He’s being serious and Q understands why. Though they haven’t ever done anything to make him the least bit uncomfortable, they each have a safe word in case they should need it. Q has always thought this strange because they aren’t one for anything particularly unusual in the bedroom department but it’s a way to guarantee they’re all happy and safe and loved.

Q struggles more with understanding why they love him so much and want to be with him. He accepts it and knows it’s true but though his insecurities have lessened, they are still there.

James waits until Q looks up at him then slides his hand down Q’s spine and his fingers slip under the waistband of his pyjama bottoms then his boxer shorts. They rest there, waiting.

He reaches up to kiss James. “Just take me to bed first, then anything.”

***

James stretches Q carefully but he doesn't take his time or linger over it as he sometimes does. He enters him slowly and matches the rhythm of Vesper’s hand on Q’s cock.

“S’good,” Q reassures when James looks down and meets his eyes. “t’s always good.” James laughs at that. “You know what I mean,” Q admonishes as he lifts his hips and tightens his legs around James’ waist.

Vesper laughs, drops down next to Q, and keeps up stroking, now able to lean over and kiss him at the same time.

When he comes he lets out a contented sigh, then nudges at James’ back to let him know he can take what he needs. Moments later James is leaning down and kissing him, deep and firm as he groans out his own orgasm.

“I’ll get something to clean you both up,” Vesper tells them, sliding down the bed. James and Q both reach for her at the same time.

“Do you need…” James offers but Vesper shakes her head.

“Q’s made sure I’ve outnumbered him three to one today, as lovely as it is to watch you both, I’m fine. Really.”

Q smiles up at her and James doesn’t ask again, reassured she means it.

“Three to one?” he asks Q once Vesper’s in the bathroom.

“It’s rude to ask her to wait for me - or you - and… of all people I don’t have to explain to you that I’ll take any opportunity to make her happy.”

James rubs their noses together.

“As long as you’re _as_ happy,” James says.

Q pushes his head back into the pillow so he can see him properly.

“You too,” he says, concern colouring his voice.

James' smile is warm and fond. “Of course I am, happier than I could have imagined. Even with everything at work, you know I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Q smiles back and accepts it, looking to Vesper when she comes back to clean them both off.

James helps and Q is asleep shortly afterwards, curling into Vesper underneath the covers and dragging James behind him as he does.

***

Q does not wake up as calmly as he went to sleep, but Vesper has been awake for a while. She soothes him with firm kisses in his hair and rubs her arm up and down his back as soon as he stirs.

“I’ll make you tea,” she tells him. “The bathroom is all yours, I can send James in after you when he wakes up if you like?”

Q raises a hand to her hair. “When did you wake up?”

Vesper chuckles. “An hour ago, I think. You both need your rest and we won’t have to leave for another hour.” She fell asleep with them but has had far more sleep over the last few weeks than either Q or James so woke far earlier.

Q holds her tighter and buries his face in her neck.

“Q, Simon, it’s going to be fine.” She feels him shiver at the use of his other name, though he doesn’t usually like to be called anything other but the title he’s earned, she’s noticed there are moments - like this one - when he needs to hear it. 

He holds her tighter for a moment or two then lets her guide him out of bed, James’ arm slips from his back but he otherwise doesn’t stir.

She leads him to the bathroom and kisses him at the door.

“Go on, we will be fine.”

***

She makes tea - Earl Grey - for all of them after she gets dressed and is about to leave for the bedroom when James joins her in the kitchen.

“Q said you’re welcome to join him in the shower,” she says, resting the tray on the side. Tesla - who followed her in - weaves around her ankles but doesn’t try to climb her legs or dislodge the tray. 

“I think he needs his space, I’ll go in after him.”

Vesper meets James’ eyes and nods. She sighs and pushes her hair back from her eyes, squeezing them closed for a moment.

James steps forwards and pulls her gently into his arms, Tesla gives up and runs off into the rest of the house, leaving them alone for a moment.

“Honestly, what do you think your parents would have said if you’d brought both me and Q home with you?” James asks.

“That I had waited until my mid-thirties to rebel? I honestly have no idea.”

James huffs out a laugh against her hair. “I have no idea either. I can’t even picture it.”

“Yes, you can,” Vesper says gently and she wonders if James will acknowledge it or leave it alone. She can never tell exactly where any conversation involving his parents will go.

“I did,” he admits. “While we were waiting for the helicopters and you were both on the radio. I wondered what it would have been like to bring you both home to them.”

“James…” It’s been seven months. Vesper puts her arms around his waist and rests her face against his chest. She doesn’t look up at him, she knows James will find it all easier to say if she doesn’t.

“I used to, I know how impossible that would have been… I do… and when we found Q and I ended up back at that house… I couldn’t help but think about bringing you both home to them, trying to explain to my parents why I needed you both in my life to make it complete.”

“I suppose at least when it comes to Olivia, she understands.”

She hears the smirk in James’ voice. “I think she’s just learnt to expect the unexpected from me, from us.”

“Either way, she cares about us, even if sometimes I feel like her retirement project.”

“I’m sure we all are. I asked Mallory and apparently she still meets him for tea once a month, to unofficially check-in.”

Vesper laughs and finally looks up.

He bends down and kisses her lightly on the lips. “Bring the tea, I think he’s almost finished.”

***

Q sits with Vesper whilst James showers. He’s in, out and shaved within 15 minutes and dresses quickly as they wait, sat on the window seat that overlooks the garden. 

Q holds his mug in his lap with both hands and doesn’t speak. 

Vesper sits closely at his side and hopes her presence combined with that of both cats is enough to help calm him.

James joins them and sits on Q’s other side, drinks his tea quickly, and kisses his unruly hair.

“We can do whatever we want afterwards. Sleep, museum, cinema… we can go for dinner… we don’t even have to go.”

“We do,” Q says. “We really, really do.”

James puts his arm around him, brushing Vesper's arm as he does.

“I can carry you downstairs if you like,” he offers.

Vesper smiles. “We could bring the cats?”

That finally makes Q laugh. “They’d be so confused to be back… let's go, I don’t want this to feel like such a big step. It shouldn’t be.”

***

R answers the door and Q hugs her a little too tightly for a little too long when she invites them in.

“Olivia has been here for the past half an hour, they’ve been talking in the kitchen,” she tells him, voice very quiet and right next to his ear.

He steps back and nods, removing his coat and placing it on the hook on the wall that always used to be his. James and Vesper follow suit and R hugs them both as well, more to pass on the message than anything but Q also knows she's happy to get to know his… lovers?… partners? She isn’t quite used to being accepted as his sister or a granddaughter to loving grandparents either and he wonders if this will help them all.

R leads them all through to the kitchen, it’s a large and spacious room and takes up most of the ground floor. Light wood cabinets line the walls on two sides but the windows are big enough to light the space. 

Olivia is already sat at the table, a steaming teacup in front of her. His grandparents look relived when they come in and Olivia turns to them immediately.

“Good morning,” she says with a smile and stands to greet them, fussing over Vesper for a moment before patting James on the arm and then standing in front of Q.

“You needn’t worry.” Her voice is very quiet and when he glances over her shoulder he sees his grandparents busying themselves with the frying pans on the stove. “I’ve cleared a few things up for you.”

Q blinks but manages to ask. “Which things, if you don’t mind me asking.”

Olivia smiles. “They were unaware of certain… preparations and arrangements. They are now.”

He nods and she pats him on the shoulder, pausing to squeeze it. “You’re welcome.”

“Thank you, really, thank you.”

She nods. “When you’re ready to do something with it please let me know, I have quite a bit of free time and I could do with something to organise.”

“Right, yes, okay.”

Olivia gives him the barest hint of a smile and heads back to the table.

Q lets out a long breath as quietly as he can and heads to his grandparents. They greet him with hugs and ruffles to his hair and though he can see the shock in their eyes at the morning's revelations, they don’t say anything about it.

He sits down one seat away from R and she smiles reassuringly, pouring his tea into a fine bone china cup. His grandparents are the type to use them all the time, regardless of occasion, and had been none too pleased with both his and R’s use of mugs.

James takes the seat in between them and Vesper sits between Q and Olivia, his grandparents sitting on the two remaining seats.

They serve breakfast and ask about their lives. Q has to get used to being called Simon almost exclusively and R, who is about as used to hearing her name as he is with his, looks similarly confused. For a moment Q forgets James and Vesper even know it but they do.

They all seem settled enough and the tension has mostly dissipated. Instead he knows now what questions his grandparents will have for him. At least he won’t have to defend their relationship…

Afterwards, when everyone has eaten, Olivia asks for James to join her in the living room and Vesper offers to accompany R on the piano in the music room.

Q looks between them both and they lean in towards him, hands folded with his on his lap.

“If you need to use the personal panic button we will be in here within seconds,” Vesper whispers, kissing his cheek and resting her forehead against his temple. She doesn’t pay any attention to the way his grandparents pretend not to watch them and instead focusses his attention on the table.

“M might not release me so easily but you will be fine. I Love you,” James reassures, kissing his hair and breathing him in.

“I love you too.” He smiles. “Go, I’ll be fine.”

***

“You seem very quiet this morning, James,” Olivia says, sat primly in the large armchair next to the sofa. They are both making an effort to use first names but she is fairing far better than he is.

“I’m waiting for you to tell me why you arrived half an hour earlier than us.” He can’t help the amused smirk on his face or the barely concealed laughter shining in his eyes.

“You know perfectly well why. Honestly. He’s clearly terrified of having to explain himself to the people who have raised him since he was a teenager. Which is absurd given his position, even so, I have saved him a few difficult questions.”

“He’s been worried.”

Olivia glares at him as though it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Of course he is.”

James nods and relaxes back into his seat. “He knows that neither me nor Vesper will rush him into anything.”

“Yes, I know. It also hasn’t escaped my notice that both you and Vesper now wear your wedding rings on your right hands, a sign of solidarity?”

James nods. “It didn’t feel right to keep wearing them as we were.”

“I don’t pretend to know what sort of impression his grandparents formed at our first family dinner but from this morning it would seem as though they were at least partially convinced you were both using him as a means to get back into the country and as a place to live.”

“What did you tell them?”

She smiles. “That it was ridiculous given just how much money you have. I couldn’t quite convince them of how much you both love their grandson because I refuse to tell them your life story but I made it quite clear you wouldn’t be with him unless you really wanted to. I’ve certainly never been able to make you do anything you don’t want to.”

James gives her a half-smile. “I’m sure they believe you.”

“They do. I almost think they feel sorry for me, having such an errant and disobedient child.”

He can’t help the sudden raising of his eyebrows.

“I haven’t told them otherwise, whether Q chooses to is his choice but they think I’m your mother.”

“I’m not sure what you want me to say to that, or what I should.”

“Hold your tongue and allow me the indulgence of meddling with those lucky enough to be considered my family.”

“Retirement not all you hoped it would be?”

She laughs. “I was hoping I wouldn’t ever have to retire but there are worse things.”

“True.” He nods and then sighs. “How long do you think we have to stay out of the way?”

“I wouldn’t imagine any more than an hour,” Olivia says and fixes him with a stare he remembers from his time as 007. 

“What do you want to know?” he asks, giving in. She has clearance but he suspects she doesn’t care about work.

***

“Simon,” his grandfather says then sighs when he sees him bristle, but doesn’t comment on it. “Olivia told us that you can legally marry James and Vesper whenever you want to.”

“I know. I’ve seen the paperwork and the authorisation.”

“But you don’t want to?” his grandmother offers, pouring him more tea.

“I do want to. Just not yet.”

“Darling, the dust has already settled.”

“Does it really matter?” Q asks, considering whether this is a worse line of questioning that the one he was expecting.

“They’re married to each other already….” she trails off and looks to her husband.

“James and Vesper would marry me tomorrow if I asked them, this afternoon if we could arrange it all in time.” They don’t talk about it and they don’t push. They have enough legal protection as a trio already and it really is just a formality… but it’s also really, _really not_. He wants it to be special and something more.

“Simon,” his grandfather waits for him to look at him before he continues. “Do they make you happy?”

“Of course they do.”

“And you really do just need time?”

“Yes.”

“Will you stop avoiding us if we promise not to bring it up again?”

“Yes. Though work has been busy enough recently to make it harder for me to find time to see you.”

“As true as that is, you’ve been using it as an excuse. We understand now and as much as it will take some time to get used to, we will.”

He nods. “I love them, I really, really do.”

“It’s also obvious how much they love you.”

Q smiles.

“Did you really meet on a yacht holiday?” his grandmother looks disbelieving. 

Q swallows hard. “Of sorts.”

They laugh and Q reaches for his tea, sipping slowly and waiting for the morning to be over. He’s more relieved than he can say when R pops her head around the door and invites him to join her and Vesper in the music room.

“Go on,” his grandmother tells him. 

“Thank you.” He’s out of the door in a matter of seconds and R bumps their shoulders together.

“I did say it would be fine.”

“You have a very strange definition of fine.”

“I do have only one thing I want to say before you decide not to talk about any of this ever again.”

“You can be my bridesmaid, or best woman or flower girl. I promise.”

R smiles. “Thank you. I’m not even going to pretend it wasn’t what I was going to say.”

***

Q shows James and Vesper his old bedroom but it’s bare and minimal, more of a functional guest room with and spare and duplicate books he wanted to leave when he moved.

“My grandparents moved here when I got my first job at MI6, and although there are all the photo albums of me growing up you could ever wish to see… I didn’t live here until I’d finished University.”

“So you made sure nothing embarrassing came with you,” James smiles and reaches for him and Q steps into the circle of his arms, he holds out his hand for Vesper and she joins them. Arms around each other and as close as they can get.

“Your grandparents are lovely people,” Vesper says. 

Q smiles. “I do think they like you both, well enough to have issued and open invitation to visit with or without me. Obviously I haven't offered the same because we can’t but… it’s fine.”

“M said she’s made sure they won’t as you any more uncomfortable questions,” James reassures, speaking the words against Q’s ear and kissing just behind it afterwards. “They also think she’s my mother and I think we should keep it that way, given she’s certainly acting like it.”

Q shivers with the unexpected affection. 

“What now?” he asks.

“That depends on what you want to do.”

“Can we go home? Please?”

***

They do and Q relaxes as soon as they’re in the front door - cats scurrying to them for affection.

He changes into his pyjamas, grabs a book, and goes back to bed. 

Vesper follows him while James makes tea. 

“I’m sorry,” he tells her. 

“What for?”

“For the constant questions about marriage and what we’re - what I’m - going to do with it.”

Vesper shrugs. “It’s only a legal formality. As much as me and James want to, we’re not in any rush.”

“Maybe we should get engaged and leave it at that, for now,” Q grumbles as James comes in. 

“Only if you want to. I don’t see why it’s anyone’s business but ours,” James says. “M has cleared things up with your grandparents, R doesn’t care, and Felix just wants enough notice to be my best man again, if and when.”

“It is sort of odd,” Vesper comments, head cocked to the side. “No one cares we’re a trio, but they care about marriage.”

The way she says it has Q giggling unexpectedly. He knows this, of course, but it is strange. 

“If this were some ridiculous fairy tale,” Vesper says. “I can imagine the big court scene between the long-exiled Princess, her knight, and the prince of a neighboring kingdom. ‘And thus it was decreed if he was insistent on loving them both, after they responded to his call to help save the kingdom, they must do so properly and be wed!’ ”

“Our lives are really not that far away from this fairy tale of yours; if you count our years voyaging on the sea to rid the world of evil,” James adds. 

“You know that would make both of your my consorts.”

“Naturally,” Vesper agrees, leaning into Q for a kiss. “I cannot be bothered with the fuss of running a country. I’m much better at moral support and work behind the scenes. I’m sure James would sit on the throne with you from time-to-time. He likes to look pretty.”

“And?” He challenges, now sat against Q, arm around him on the bed. “I look good in finery.”

Q swallows. “Alright. As special as I want to make it, talking about it normally without all the fuss is... helping.” James raises his eyebrows. “You’ve admitted how much of a fairytale your life has been, no correcting me.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

Vesper drapes herself across them and preens when Q puts his fingers in her hair. 

“I’ve been.... thinking about rings.” 

“Oh?” She enquires.

“If James passes me my tablet I’ll show you,” Q says, coming to the conclusion that special doesn’t have to mean the same as secret. It can be working on this together, sharing this part of themselves, and lives with each other too.


End file.
